Effects of six months of virtual reality exergaming combined with basketball training on visuomotor stepping reaction time in children aged 10–12 years: A quasi-experimental study.

Virtual reality (VR) has become increasingly integrated into education, rehabilitation, and performance training, largely due to its improved accessibility and affordability. Beyond providing sensory stimulation, VR offers immersive and interactive environments capable of engaging cognitive processes and facilitating motor learning and reaction speed across both pediatric and adult populations. Within sport and movement science, agility and reaction time are widely recognized as key indicators of neuromuscular coordination and cognitive-motor integration. The emergence of light-based assessment systems, such as BlazePod™, has enabled these capacities to be evaluated in a dynamic and engaging manner. However, despite the growing interest in VR-based exercise, the long-term effects of combining virtual exergaming with structured sport training on reaction-related performance in children remain insufficiently explored. In the present study, BlazePod performance was defined as the number of correct responses completed within a 30-second trial, with higher scores reflecting superior visuomotor performance. Purpose: To investigate the effects of a six-month VR exergaming program combined with basketball training on visuomotor reaction time in children aged 10–12 years, compared with basketball training alone and a no intervention control group. Methods: Sixty-four healthy children were allocated into three groups: VR + Basketball (n = 22), Basketball-Only (n = 22), and Control (n = 20). The intervention lasted six months (three sessions per week). The VR group completed 30 minutes of Beat Saber VR training plus 60 minutes of basketball per session; the basketball group completed 60 minutes of basketball only. Reaction time was assessed pre and post-intervention using the BlazePod system. Repeated-measures ANOVA, Bayesian ANOVA, and paired-samples t-tests were used to evaluate changes over time. Results: A significant improvement in reaction time was observed only in the VR + Basketball group, t(21) = −3.069, p = .006, with mean scores increasing from 17.50 to 19.27. In the BlazePod assessment used in this study, higher scores indicate better performance. Bayesian analysis provided strong evidence for a pre– post effect in this group (BF10 = 14.40). No significant changes were observed in the Basketball-only (p = .204) or Control groups (p = .330). Variability decreased notably in the VR group, indicating more consistent performance following training. Conclusion: Six months of VR exergaming combined with basketball training produced significant improvements in visuomotor reaction time in children, outperforming traditional sport training alone. VR-based exercise may serve as an effective, engaging tool for enhancing cognitive-motor performance in youth.